Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of A R & Louisa Mary WATKINS of Latrobe Terrace, Paddington, Qld.

Private Thomas Herbert Watkins, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Watkins, of Howard, passed away at the Enoggerra Military Hospital last Saturday,  after a short illness. The body of the deceased soldier was conveyed to Howard, where the funeral took place yesterday.

FUNERAL OF PRIVATE T. H. WATKINS.
Our Howard correspondent writes: The funeral oi the late Thomas Herbert Watkins took place on Monday afternoon, nnd was largely attended,  by  the friends and relatives of the deceased. The deceased was 23 years of age, and the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Watkins and the grandson of the late Mr. T. J. Watkins. He enlisted in May of this year with the A.I.F.. and went to Enoggera camp, where he contracted measles, followed by  other complications, which terminated fatally on the 2nd inst. and his corpse was brought to Howard by the early mail on Monday. The deceased  was the second eldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Watkins, and his sister (Nellie) died about nine months ago. His military career was only of  short duration, but long enough for him to win the esteem and good opinion of his officers. The body was escorted from the Military Hospital in  Brisbane to the station by a military esrcort and Lieut. Moyle expressed the deepest sympathy on behalf of the Commandant. A short service was  held at the Methodist Church, Howard, by Mr. Cox previous to the funeral. The coffin was covered with the Union Jack whilst being conveyed to the cemetery. A number of floral wreaths were sent by sympathising friends.

Q8081  Thomas Herbert WATKINS  11th Depot Battalion

Thomas Watkins was born to parents Arthur and Louisa Watkins at Howard around September 1894. He probably attended school in Howard and then progressed on to work in the coal mining business. Thomas reported to an army medical board that he had worked at Queensland Collieries at Howard as a coal trimmer prior to enlistment.

Thomas attended the recruiting depot in Maryborough in May 1916. He stated his age as 22 years and 9 months and gave his occupation as carpenter. Thomas named his mother of Howard as his next of kin. On 3rd June, Thomas presented himself to Fraser’s Hill Camp at Enoggera where he was placed in “V” Company of the 11th Depot Battalion.

One month after reporting to camp, Thomas presented to the hospital unit; and then was transferred to the 13th Australian General Hospital at Enoggera where he became increasingly ill. His mother was sent for and was by his side when he died on 1st September 1916. The form completed by the Senior Medical Officer and forwarded to the coroner for the granting of a death certificate stated that Thomas was suffering from bronchial pneumonia and tubercular meningitis which resulted in fatal respiratory failure. Thomas had been in camp less than three months.

Thomas’ mother accompanied his casket from Brisbane to Howard where after a service in the Methodist church he was buried in the Howard Cemetery. Thomas Watkins is the only Great War casualty buried at Howard.

The citizens of Howard, when compiling the list of fallen to be included in the war memorial made a special effort in honouring Thomas Watkins by adding the descriptor –“died in camp”, to his name.